262: Babette Hughes: Life Lessons after 93 Years of Chasing Dreams

Babette Hughes, did not start writing until her 80’s and has now become a prolific author of books like The Red Scar, The Hat and Lost and Found, and co-author of Why College Students Fail.

Now 93, she writes every day with a fluidity and grace of a woman half her age; her most recent novel is Searching For Vivian. Her earned wisdom has enriched her contributions to the Huffington Post.

Favorite Success Quote

“When you accept the events that happen to you, you accept life, and when you accept life, life accepts you”

Key Points

1. Stop Worrying About the Pressures of Society

As a man, society places tremendous pressure on you to live up to the standards it has unrealistically set.

If you don’t drive the fastest car, own the biggest house, have the biggest paycheck, lift the most weight, be the most masculine and classically manly man yet also be the most sensitive and kind-hearted lover that you can be then you have failed tremendously.

Men, just stop!

Live your life, love your life and be there for the people who really matter. You will not be on your death bed wishing you had made more money or owned a bigger house, you will wish that you had spent more time doing things you love with people you love.

Life is too darn short to be unhappy.

2. Don’t Fear Failure, Embrace It

Mistakes are often looked at as a failure, something that you cannot recover from and something that will permanently tarnish your name.

This isn’t true.

Mistakes and failures are how you learn and how you grow into the man you need to be. They teach you valuable lessons about what is truly important and about the kind of person you should aspire to be.

Use failures, don’t regret them.

3. Life Takes Time

When you are young, you always want to move faster than necessary and try and get to the next checkpoint in life.

You want to become the man you dream of overnight. But life takes time.

And that’s the way that it should be. Enjoy the journey and don’t rush it.